The presently disclosed embodiments generally relate to an apparatus and method for filtering contaminates from a fluid.
In one example, an engine uses a fluid, such as oil, to provide lubrication between contacting surfaces. The lubrication acts as a film separating the two contacting surfaces, and thus helps with cooling while preventing or minimizing metal fatigue, wear, and excessive heat caused by friction. However, during manufacture, installation, operation and/or repair of engine components, various contaminates may inadvertently be entrained in the engine. Such contaminates can include manufacturing debris (such as metal shavings), machining chips, and wear debris. These contaminates can be difficult to inspect for and remove from the engine, as they often are found in relatively small, inaccessible internal passages of the engine. As a result, when oil is passed over or through engine components these contaminates may become entrained into the oil, which is problematic when this oil is then later delivered to provide lubrication to various other engine components. Specifically, contaminates within the oil can cause damage and even failure to the components receiving the fluid as lubrication.
Therefore, to help ensure components needing lubrication are not damaged and do not fail, the oil should be free of damaging contaminates when delivered. Various prior solutions have included using a separately routed and isolated oil supply, which can be kept free of contaminates, to provide lubrication. However, use of a separate oil supply requires new, additional parts, such as oil passages and reservoirs which increase the weight and both the cost of manufacturing and maintaining the engine. Another prior solution has included installing additional structures within the engine to collect and trap contaminates within the oil. However, installing additional structures again requires adding new, additional parts increasing weight and cost.